


Dancing With The Devil

by Fear_The_FWZZ



Category: Carmilla - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-09-27
Packaged: 2018-04-13 19:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4534839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fear_The_FWZZ/pseuds/Fear_The_FWZZ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Carmilla High school AU. There is no supernatural in this fic so. Mainly follows Laura and her adventures through her junior year of high school. She will experience her new self by doing stuff she has never done. Some of those things are going to parties, drinking, having a lot more fun then just her boring life prior to this year. She may laugh at how silly she may think. She thought she'd be alright. Thought she'd go on through high school with her long time crush. Thought that her life was going to end like the movies. Have the happy ending she always dreamed of. HAHA. Oh how she was so wrong...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura woke up late after laying in front of the xbox. Her morning is sent into a downward spiral ever since she walked through the front doors.

“I totally just busted your brains kid. Don’t try and think you’re better than me!”

A woman’s voice comes over the com. Laura, sprawled out on the couch of her home, is playing Call Of Duty lackadaisical just to relax after the long day. She’s had so many test this morning that she has to put off any other work. _Was that just another girl?_ She lifts her headset up to her ears and blast the voice over. She tries to find the player again to get a snip bit of the voice again. “You killed KC1698” That’s a weird name.

“Kid! Stop! This is-” The girl’s voice is cut off.

Now Laura know’s it’s another girl gamer. She hasn’t met many especially in this part of Austria. It’s so diverse in this part of town that she barely gets that Austrian feel. That’s probably why her father came here after her mother passed. She was too young to really know who she was. “KC1698 has left your game.” The feed says. Laura backs out the game and looks at her recents. It says she went offline, if it was a she to begin with. She instead sends a voice message.

“Uh hey I saw you in my game and I’m another girl I thought maybe we could play again.” Her message is short and precise. She sends it without another thought. Who knew that would be the first of many.

***************************************************************

Laura woke up the next morning very late in front of the set. She was mid dream when she woke. It was clouded by fire red hair. The scent of walnut. A strong force upon her. _Mmm. Oh crap. Ok Laura, that’s the third one this week. And. Oh crap! It’s already 6:50._ Laura's bus comes at 6:50. She takes the head piece off and turns the box off. A message unread when it powers off. She didn’t have time. One more tardy and detention it is. She means being slipped by Danny the hall patrol leader wouldn’t be terrible either. In front of the mirror she puts her hair up in a messy bun and just puts on anything she could find. Flannel and jeans. She agrees with it and runs out the door. She’s only about a mile and a half from school. It’s brisk in the early November days. The leaves scatter the ground and they crunch under Laura’s weight. She approaches the school as the last bus pulls away. She rushes faster to the door. She walks down the hall just as the broad fire bird wraps the corner. Laura will have to pass her.

Just before they pass, “I… I can explain.” Laura says but just after she’s cut off.

“Laur, it’s cool, no trouble.”

She winks after that which gives Laura butterflies. She opens the door to her class forcefully causing the force of the wind to blow her hair to the side.

“Well isn’t it the Jäger-Bombinatrix.” A guy who has so much of a puppy face that you want to kill it. “Care to stuff it Kirsh. It’s been a long night.” Laura responds. “Oh I’m sure. Saying Oh! Ooohhh!” Pretending to moan out.

Laura gives a sarcastic smile then turns her annoyance to the crooks of her elbow. Black wavy hair crosses her vision.The click of heavy combat boots echo through her head. She turns and the burn-out Carmilla Karnstein takes her seat. She raises her perfect eyebrow to the blonde girl. “Can I help you?” The snarky seductiveness in her voice irks Laura. She turns around just as the teacher comes through the doors and readies the lesson. English Honours. She doesn’t understand how half these kids made it through to this. She takes out her notebook and starts writing the do-now. There’s a knock on the door. In pops a small lady, asian looking and small voice. She wants Laura to go to the office. Damn it. What did I do now? Laura walks slowly to the door. The wooden door massive against her small body. She takes in a big breath and knocks.

“It’s open.” A voice from the inside says. She enters the room. It’s spacious. A great desk with a leather chair. Carpeted floors and a coffee maker on the windowsill. An old man with a growing white head, sits in the chair looking outside.

“Yes please sit. We need to talk Miss. Hollis.” His voice a thick accent she couldn’t quite figure out the origin. She quickly sits across from him. A golden plated name sits on the desk. “Principal Baron Vordenberg.” Her breath is still held from when she got in the room. “Miss. Hollis. I’ve seen you coming in late yet you don’t have a slip for detention on you do you?” She shakes her head no. “You know I appointed these students to mend the hall to respect the rules. I saw your interaction with, who was it, ah Danny Lawrence. Because of this I am going to have to give you detention for the rest of the week. So I need you to report to room 307 on the second floor for an hour after school, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Please shut the door on your way out.”

She left before she could say anything that could get her into more trouble. She releases the breath she held in but it was painful. She is totally going to need to lie to her dad. She returns to her first class and takes her seat again. She was distracted the entire time. They were discussing short stories Edgar Allen Poe wrote but she barely picked up on the feud that was going between Carmilla and the teacher.

“Yeah well if he wasn’t depressed then why would he write a story about murder and a beating heart.”

“Many writers can be that way Carmilla.”

“Yes but if you see,”

She leans forward and flips through her papers that are sworn about the desk. One of them goes under Laura’s foot noticeably. The one she was looking for. Laura is finally pulled from yet another red daydream from the shouting behind her.

“Hollis?! You mind getting out of your funk and fucking hand me that paper.”

Before Laura could respond the teacher stands at attention and rushes between the two. He stares down at Carmilla and Laura almost laughs at her mistake. You can’t swear in this class. Even the smallest reference to a swear and Dr. Cochrane will have a cow.

“Carmilla Karnstein! Because of that I am going to have to give you a detention slip for this afternoon. I told you last time. That was your final warning.”

“But. But!”

“Carmilla, don’t fight it please. This discussion is over!”

He hands her green slip and she shoves herself back into her seat. _Great, I’m going to have to share a room with her for another hour._ The class ends uneventful and Laura goes out the room. Before she can get far someone snags her by the arm and wrenches her backwards. Someone snarls in her ear that she can only recognize as Carmilla’s.

“Way to go twerp now because of you I have to sit through detention.”

She tries to get out of her grasp and once she did she turned to her. Her face bunched into an angered expression. She didn’t need it this morning.

“I did nothing that got you there! It wasn’t my fault that you can’t control your mouth.” Carmilla looks at her like she’s insane and her jaw drops. “What?! Don’t you have a blunt to smoke or something you shadow.”

Carmilla all of a sudden gets defensive causing the hallway’s attention to go to them.

“A shadow? What is that supposed to mean?”

“I mean you wear so much black and don’t make an effort to expose yourself to people. You’re nothing more than a shadow.”

Somebody whoops at Laura’s comment. That infuriates Carmilla and she flings herself at Laura. Trying to claw at her. Laura reacts and flinches back harshly. Before Carmilla can gain on her anger Kirsh holds her back with strong arms. She squirms in his arm and Laura has taken cover behind a group.

“Get off me meat stick! I’m done here.” She says once she gets free from his arms.

He puts his arms up in surrenders and backs up slowly. She storms off to her next class and Laura breaths heavily. Her hair has fallen from her bun so she just lets it hang free on her shoulders. People go to her and ask if she’s alright. She nods but still has fear in her eyes. She holds onto the straps of her backpack until her knuckles turn white. She scurries off to her next class. She Is silent and tries not to spark a conversation fearing her voice is still shaking after the encounter. She tries to pay attention so her mind doesn’t wander to another realm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first AU in this style so I hope you like it. I will try to update every Sunday and Thursday to keep your gay heats beating. If I happen to have an excuse why I can't type then I will tell you. Well I'm going to go XD


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura is in detention and somebody accompanies her on her way home.

Laura was quiet the rest of the day. Therefore escaping into the bathroom to eat her tuna fish sandwich her dad packed her. She may be a junior in high school but that doesn’t mean her dad can’t make her lunch. He would really do anything to see her happy. Anything for his little girl. He was on the older end of adulthood so he never got back into the dating pool but who says he can’t start. He may be a bit older but he is fit and pretty handsome. He has been happy with Laura and never really needed a girlfriend or a wife. He wished Laura could just have a motherly figure in her life. There are just some things that he knows Laura can’t tell him. Though they have a close strong bond, he knows he can be superman but never superwoman.

The end of the day nears and Laura can feel her her blood pressure rising. The final bell rings and she is apprehensive to go to the door. There is a slight window in the door that exposed the room. She opens it and it is dull. It was meant to be for a club, probably knitting or some lame club like that, but it never lasted so now it’s made for just detention. She sees Carmilla’s face buried in a book in the back of the class. She rolled her eyes and took a seat in the middle of the room. Not in the front, not in the back. Some others are around her and eye Laura. She feels the stares dig into her. She shoves her face into the palm of her hand as she takes out her homework. On the whiteboard in the front of the room says, “No Talking! Take out a book, homework, or study material. No Phones!” She opens her notebook to take brief notes on Annabel Lee. Which in retrospect is about a lost lover in which he started his trend of misfortune. She tapped her pen on the notebook and twirled it in her fingers. _God I shouldn’t be here!_ She sat there and widen her eyes in boredom. She leans back in her chair and leans her neck back and cracking it in the process. While she leans upside down she sees Carmilla looking at her with squinted eyes. She quickly gets out of the position. Her snarky deep laugh can barely be heard but she knows it’s there. Her cheeks fire up and she sits there, still, for the rest of the time.

“Alright now get out of my face you teens.”

Laura couldn’t have gotten up faster and she runs out the door to the outside sidewalk. She can’t call her dad because he would be furious at her for detention. Before she can get off the property she sees the auburn hair that matches the tree colours. She goes to it and finds Danny leaned against the bricks with a backwards snapback and a skateboard. Laura’s voice is quiet.

“I didn’t know you shred…” She is very awkward with the casualness of her crush. Like she doesn't know that Laura is dying on the inside.

“Shred Laura? Really?”She gives a good laugh and drops the board to the ground. Her smile is bright and could make anyone happy. It made Laura giddy. “Nah its ok Hollis. Hey sorry about earlier. I had no intentions on getting you in trouble.”

“Danny, it’s uh, uh. It’s fine. It was my bad. I fell asleep playing Xbox the other night that’s all.”

Danny cocks an eyebrow at her and takes her about the shoulder. They walk out of the shadow of the building and walk off the school. The sidewalk goes into town. Laura is nervous in her arm. She is much taller than the blonde and she takes bigger strides so Laura almost jogs to keep up with her. Eventually she slowly gets used to her presence and smiles. With that she bites her lip.

“So uh why are you staying around me? We’ve never talked really.”

“Does that mean I can’t start? Laura, I want to make it up to you. I put you in that room with that animal. Let me just buy you a coffee or something.”

She nods at her and blushes as they grab a metal table. It has designs of flowers and vines in it. Laura sits there as Danny orders the drinks. She traces the imprints delicately with her fingers. Letting them flow over the pattern. She doesn’t realize Danny is back and sits across from her.

“One completely infatuated sugar coffee.”

Laura laughs. She has a sweet tooth and she can’t help it. Her favourite things in the world besides chocolate alone is chocolate chip cookies. During a break up in her sophomore year she probably downed three trays of them. It was harsh on her, but she has long forgotten about that. She brings herself back to the present and gazes at the gorgeous red headed broad. Danny picks up on her gaze and puts her hand over Laura’s free hand. She smiles softly and sips at her coffee. Laura’s heart races at their touch. She almost chokes on her drink that she gurgles. Danny lets go and falls into a hard laughter Through the cups she starts to speak but is not confident at the start.

“You know you’re crush on me is definitely obvious.”

She laughs it off and looks to Laura. She’s fallen silent and is now a tomato. Now she actually spits out her coffee. It’s on the table before seeps under it. Laura stares blankly at the table. Her mind is spinning and she is unable to move her mouth. If she tried parting her lips only unreadable noises would escape them. She puts her hands on her lap and bows her head down in embarrassment.

“Danny I’m-”

Danny get up slowly and positions herself in front of Laura. Her breathing hitching in her throat. The world around them seems to stop. All she sees is the firebird and all she wants to see is her. She swears this is a dream. There’s no way Danny would approach her like that. Only this time it feels so much more real. She looks into her deep green-blue eyes. Getting lost in them. Her shoulders sag as she loses control over her. This crush has been debilitating. She almost cried one time over her when she saw a collage of her for a birthday post on Instagram. She was just so cute, and Laura couldn’t have her. Laura swallows as she nears her face. She has put her hands on the chairs arm rest. She gives a small smile and tilts her head ever so slightly to the right. Slowly her lips come closer to hers. Laura looks to her eyes then her lips rapidly. Quick and subtle she licks her lips. She closes her eyes just before they make contact. She feels the wind on her face. Transporting her away from the world. Together the two dance to the music of their lips. They sway and stay close to each other in a distant place. She slowly makes the descent back to the small town in Austria. The small cafe at which they sit at. The small person that Laura is. When Danny finally pulled away all Laura could do was smile.

"I don't really like the title of crush?"

"Are you saying-"

"Yes Laura. I'd love to go out with you and be able to kiss you in public. Finally able to act upon my own lustful ideas. Within reason of course."

Laura giggles to herself and stands. She sets the cup down and wraps her arms around her neck. She stands on her tip toes to reach her lips fully and they are pulled into another kiss. Every kiss getting better than the last. Laura backs away and smiles. _More good than bad happened today. That's good. That's really good._


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> By the time Laura gets home she can't keep her mind off the days events. She can't wait for tomorrow to see her again and show everyone who she is dating. But when will that tomorrow come?

Both Laura and Danny walked back to her house.

"Now I'm really sorry for that. you'll be ok?" Danny asked about the whole detention debacle.

"Dan... Danny. I'm fine maybe this is just my rebelliousness trying to show itself. 

"Hollis, you trying to be a rebellious teen is like seeing a bunny rabbit try to eat a person." She laughs as they approach the door step. 

The later afternoon hours are getting darker sooner and sooner. They both felt a bit chilled since neither one had a jacket. Before she opens the door Laura leans on the wall just outside the door. She smiles and looks at her. Danny is opposite her mirroring her movements. She crosses her arms. Danny does the same. Laura gives a pouty lip and Danny does the same and softens her eyes. A weird dance, does the same. Laura rushes up to her lips then pulls away. Danny is rendering her movements and eventually does the same. She smiles until Laura's dad knocks on the door from the inside. Laura's face shows that she's been caught in the action. 

"See you later Hollis."

Laura turns as Danny rides away from the old tutor house. Her dad opens the door and gives her a look. Laura puts her head down and pushes past him. She puts her bag on the kitchen table and faces her dad.

"Care to explain?" He isn't very serious in his tone but is interested.

"She's just a girl I met from school. I'll be ok really. She's nicer than the last one. I won't get hurt again. I think this relationship will be fine."

He laughs and rubs her head before heading to the fridge and pulling out some cheese. He takes a small portion of it before putting it back. Grabs some crackers ans sits at the table. He offers Laura some but she declines.

"So what's she like?"

She smiles and starts leaving the room to go to the basement. Before she leaves entirely she calls out.

"Homework Dad... comes first." She tries avoiding the question.

She is almost embarrassed since she knows only minimal things of Danny. All that she really knew is that she's sporty, a leader, and... hot? Does that count as an attribute? She will learn more about her in the coming week after she has to got to detention. She clambers down the stairs and attempts to start homework. Laura is a high B, low A student. Not terrible, but her best subject is English. She really wants to a be a journalist one day or even a news castor. She really tries her best though. While she finds boredom in her work she edges closer and closer to her xbox controller. She has a bad habit to play when she needs to get stuff down. She just finds the thrill of having high points and great score streaks. She tosses her Trig homework to the side and replaces the pencil for the controller. She boots up the box and sees she has one unread message from KC1698. She opens it and its a message. 

"Hey, sorry for my reaction earlier, I was just trying to let off steam. I haven't met many girl gamer in this town either. you should text me sometime. Here's my number. ***-***-****."

 _Wait, What town? I never mentioned a town?_ She lets go of the thought and copied the number down quickly. Deciding to text it to see if this is just a scam.  She ponders what to say and twiddles her thumb to think. She finally just starts typing.

"Hey. It's The girl from Xbox. PeggysAssailant. You gave me your number so I thought I'd text you."

She waits for a response but nothing comes in and she pushes it off. 

Her dad comes down sometime later and laughs seeing her crouched over her work. The lobby has kicked her for inactivity. He nudges her to wake and she rises groggy. She gives a slight smile and trudges up the stairs. She has something rumbling in her stomach. Laura thought it was only because she hasn't eaten this afternoon but then it turns into something else. She runs to the bathroom in a sleepy haze. She opens the seat and she vomits. The liquid is both red and orange. She feels it burning in her throat as she pukes again. Her dad comes behind her and rubs her back. Her eyes get more and more blurry. She feels her world falling and drooping at ever corner. her vision starts to tunnel and she has darkness on the edges of her eyes. She finally lets the pain take over and she falls to the floor. Her dad checks her pulse. very faint. Almost nonexistent.  His phone fumbles in his hands as he dials three buttons.

"Yes 9-1-1. What is your-"

He cuts off the operator before she can finish. "I need an ambulance now. My daughter. God! She just puked blood and is dying on the floor."

"Ok sir, I need your address and to tell me her status."

He gives the woman both things and waits patiently. He is shivering with her in his arms. He can't lose another one. Not like this again. He hears the sirens and carries Laura to the den. The paramedics open the door and start hooking her up to different machines. She is wheeled out the door. When she reaches the ambulance there is some attention from local houses. Some take videos and Laura's dad tries stopping them. He is in a raging panic. He doesn't know what to think. There's not much he can do now. Once they drive off some people ask about her condition before today. They take samples of Laura's vomit. He finds his keys and makes a beeline for the hospital. There was a scenario like this all those years ago.

It was when Laura was only a year old. Her mother. Her mother was gorgeous. The spitting image of her was Laura. She started having stomach pains. Each time it gets more and more painful. She thought it was just from the pregnancy and thought it was just finally getting rid of everything. They didn't go to anyone maybe thinking it was just a common sickness. One night when Laura's dad got home he found her mother curled up on the floor. Her fingers were buried in the skin of her stomach. She was clawing at it. The red and orange and black oozed from the punctures. He knelt down beside her and cried endlessly. She was just trying to take the pain away that made her claw through her stomach. What they didn't know until long after her death was a rare form of cancer that developed in her stomach. The acid in the stomach is meant to break down food, but along with that it started eating away at the stomach lining. Then it just went down from there. It caused maniac disorders and altered the mind of what's reasonable and what's not. It was a horrendous death honestly. They immediately cremated her because her body was a mess. She never got a chance to see her daughter grow up. Become this amazing woman she is today. Laura has asked about her but her dad never mentioned her disease because those were her darkest days. She never smiled or laughed like she did before. The second the cancer set in she was already dead.

Her dad tries not to think of the worst but it always come back. He wants everything to be better. Just go back to the way it used to be. Now he's driving like psycho down the highway hoping to see his baby girl one last time.  _Laura baby pull through for me. Just this last time please._

Meanwhile, Laura is sent into surgery to see what's up with her stomach. They use x-rays and liquids and blood test. She is in a heavy medicine coma and if she were to survive all this it will take awhile for her to get back on her feet. They all need a miracle right about now...


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura want's to wake up she does. But she doesn't have the energy in her body and mind. She needs to make them one before any work can be done.

Laura lays on the bed in the ICU. She is still and her vitals have finally settled. Her heart rate fluctuated between high BPM and low BPM and that really scared doctors because that may mean the tumor may actually be developing. Thankfully there was none there but it was the onset of one. They still have to look out because it's barely the end. Only the beginning of this. She's ok now but it doesn't mean this cancer can't pop up in the future. They have put her on a high drug dose and now they just wait for her to wake. If she ever does. Her dad goes to her side and holds her hand. He is grateful that she has made it this long. The doctors and nurses have left the cube and now the two sit in it alone. The only sound that surrounds the room is the beeping. The constant movements of the line on the screen. His breathing has slowed and he matches her inhalations.  _She is ok. She will be. Even if it means there will be some barrier. She is still here and I don't have to see her a bloody mess._ He is tempted to say those words aloud but he feels he is in a box. A very fragile glass box. The slightest noise will shatter it and send them apart. Finally, the time is up when he has to leave. He has one of two options. He can wait in the lobby until she wakes up. That may be a long time. Or he can go home and try to keep his mind off things until she is better and out of her state. The second option it is. He returns to a quiet block. There are flowers strung about the front door. He tries to smile at the sincerity of the people. He takes them in and sets them all in vases. The mess has been cleaned up and now it's just a regular house. Just as if Laura was at school. Now it's different. He's not wondering when she gets home and if she'll be safe coming back. He's wondering when Laura will wake up and if she'll live after that. He sits back on the bed and tries to close his eyes, but every time he closes them an image pops up and forces them back open. Like Laura, he likes to play the box at times. When he's free and lazy feeling. He faces Laura at times and she is much better than him. Besides that he tries to stay connected to Laura but gives her some leeway. He plays through the night to avoid sleep. Really avoiding the dreams that are bound to turn into nightmares. 

Back at the hospital Laura's mind is racing. She may not be able to see anything or move. Her mind isn't paralyzed. She mentally clenches every muscle in her body. When you're in this state it's like drowning in darkness. Letting it encapsulate you until you come to terms with it. You need to accept that you won't be able to wake until this mental journey is complete. Was she ready to start the task? It's like unlocking a new level in a game. You need to pass test and quest collecting information or items to go through that next door. She needs to hold the information of the unknown. Will she ever know why she needs to press accept? She has yet to realize that she needs to rest her mind. Clear it so that enlightenment can course through it. Let the feeling overtake her. When you're in this state the only thing that can hurt you, is you. The mind is a powerful tool. Used in both evil and good. Both a saint and a hardened criminal have one thing in common. They have a brain that thinks what they're doing is right. Even if that right doesn't satisfy everyone. If yourself can accept that then that's all you would need. Laura tries to breath but it doesn't work. She slowly. Agonizingly slowly sinks deeper into the darkness. Even if you are falling in a bottomless pit you'd still be farther down than you were just a moment ago. She needs to find that bottom and stand. Walk around, finding the journey to her wakefulness. If that means the light at the long never ending tunnel. Or it's that piece that finishes the impossible puzzle. She is ready to find it.

The second she slips under His or Her or It's control her mind explodes. She swears she feels it in her numb body. She literally jumps from her skin. It's like a rebirth. The light blinding her eyes after being in darkness for so long. She feels like nothing yet she can see herself. In more than one way. She feels the breeze from the air conditioning but it doesn't feel like it's on her own skin. It's not even skin. She turns in the room thinking she's alone, but there is someone else. Someone lifeless on the table. Herself. She sees herself in full colour. Every wire connected to her disconnected body. She knows that this isn't her real body. Is it a soul? Is it a spirit? Is it something beyond the realm of discovery? Whatever it was she felt one with the air. Like a dream yet it's real time. She starts to walk and her movement shake her vision. Like bad reception on a tv. Though the more she gets used to her new existence the easier it gets. She looks to a clock on the wall. It says  _9:34 PM._ She takes in the breath though she realized she doesn't need it. Not to feel relaxed at least. She goes to the door but instead of feeling the cool metal on her hand. She felt the coolness in her entire body. Like she is the handle itself. She closes her eyes and starts walking through the door. She sees the wooden splinters. The crevices from the inside of the door. When she steps out, the hall way is empty. She walks to where she hears a lost voice. Like it's muttering something. She goes closer and closer. She walks down a long dark corridor named Psychiatric Wing. She continues to the noise when she approaches a vault like door. She knows the noise is from in there. It's unreadable from out here but when she puts her ear closer to the door it becomes just a tad more understanding. She braces herself to go through the door. She goes quickly but coming out like honey from a jar. She drizzles herself in the room, pulling away from the door with all the strength her mindful muscles can must. When she regains her sense of balance she looks to the noise. A girl. Maybe 16 with black wavy hair. She knows it from somewhere. Now she can fully understand the noise.

"I'm not useless. I'm not a devil to society." The girl repeats it like she wasn't even there.

Because she wasn't. Technically she wasn't anywhere but the void between life and death. That grey area. She looks at her closer. The eyebrows peak from beneath her arms which are wrapped tightly around her. It took her awhile to realize that she is wearing the same combat boots she saw this morning. The memory rings through her mind. The click on the ground. The face is blurry but she can't pick up on it. She raises her head like she knows someone is here. Like she can feel the presence of Laura's spirit. When she faces Laura her features are blank and lacking expression. Then it hits her. Carmilla... Carmilla puts her head back between her legs and rocks more in the dim room. The metal bed and barred window only add to the creepiness. A twinge of pain shoots through her entire nonhuman body. She sees a light start shining from Camilla's head. It's small and buried between the strands of her hair. It looks mystical. Something out of a fairy tale. Not a fairy tale. A horror tale. One that ends in someone running for their life. From the supernatural fear that has taken their sanity straight from their hands. Yet she is drawn to it. Like a magnet for her soul to go towards. Like an opening to a new world. A new form to take hold of. She goes closer and closer until her hand is just above it. The words in the room torment her. The mind can have a mind. The words run through her second mind beating her down more and more. The breath that doesn't need to be taken is sucked in with force that she didn't cause. It goes in and in until her soulful lungs are vacuumed shut. She reaches further and further for the light but it seems to travel away. The last second before the lungs dissipate she touches the light that has come back into reach. Her vision immediately goes dark and is certain that she has lost the war. The last battle between life and death. The winner having more force over the other. The one that needed to win, has lost. Until she feels the sense of fabric. The touch of foreign skin wrapped around legs that feel heavier than her one she owns. A mind that overlaps hers. This wasn't her yet she felt every part of this object being her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is Laura now? Was this a misshap? Will she see the world from another point of view or angle? Maybe from different eyes.

Carmilla was in the dark room alone but then all of a sudden it felt less lonely. She knew she was crazy at this point. She stands and starts kicking and punching at anything she could. Even herself. She threw herself against the wall. The metal bed had no springs or open edges to cut herself on. It was a bubble around her. Nothing in here can hurt her. But she was the outlier. She can hurt herself. She hit her forearms on the bed until they bruised immensely. She knew there was a weird aura in the air and she just wanted it to go away. She lifts her head to smash on the metal. Just before she goes down she has a thought that wasn't hers nor was it her internal voice.

"Stop! Just stop! Please!"

She almost thought it was a person on the room and looked around. She widened her eyes to see more into the darkness. It was empty. She breathed heavily and her pain is setting in. Her arms were polka-dotted with bruises. Threaded together by scars and cuts. She screams out thinking it will clear the air. Scare away whatever has intruded her mind. Her tears were always visible on her face in this room. There hasn't been a time when she hasn't cried here. This place is her nightmare yet she has to come back every night. She closes her eyes and looks through her mind. Her heart rate simmers to only tens of beats. She's thinks to herself.

"What is this? Who are you? Are you Satan? Finally ready to take the devil with you?"

Laura who has realized that now she is one with Carmilla's mind. She silently thinks about what to say.

"Carmilla, I'm not Satan. Laura, me, has fallen into a drug comma. This is her spirit, soul, mind, thing."

Carmilla flings her eyes open. She stands and looks outside. The scene is quiet. The half moon lighting the clear night. She bangs on the bars and screams to let her out.

"Carmilla! Why are you here?!"

Instead of just thinking about it she screams out. "I've been put here because everyone thinks I'm crazy! Thinks that I will poison other's minds! Maybe I am. I hurt myself to maybe think I'm not. That just proves the point that I am"

Laura is confused but before she can respond Carmilla is crying on the floor. She cuddles herself. The tears burn her mind causing Laura to lose touch with it slightly. She crawls her way back to where she was. Carmilla speaks again but is quieter, "I'm not crazy. Just because I'm gay does not mean I'm evil. I don't have anyone anymore. Everyone has turned on me. This place is getting to my head. Now I'm talking to myself because I think someone is having a conversation in my mind. How could I be so stupid!?"

Laura is almost tempted to back out but something stops her. Either her own souly conscience or Carmilla's. Whatever it was Laura stayed.

"Carmilla. I'm not just a spawning from your mind. I'm Laura Hollis. From your English class. We both go to Silas prep school in Austria. The baby school to Silas University."

"Anybody would know that. My brain is just pulling these things from my memory and putting a face on it."

"No! It's me. I don't understand my own situation. I've had terrible stomach pains and now I'm here praying I don't slip off the edge of life."

She laughs to herself. The same airy sultry laugh she heard at detention that afternoon.

"That's totally a Laura comment so I guess I'm supposed to believe this. Magic and miracles are actual things. So is hope, fate, and the middle life. They just somehow landed on me. Out of 7 billion people, I was where the gods threw the dart. I was the one who gets subjected to the unexplainable science. Ok"

This new attitude is scaring Laura. She doesn't want to know more. She doesn't want to get wrapped in this anymore. Then again, she knows this is what this comma has led her to. This is the way to wake up and she wants to groan at that. Carmilla's voice is sweeter and almost helpless, "don't leave me. Please. If you're in my mind you can help me out a little."

"And what makes you think I'd do that?"

"Laura please. You're the one who owes me. Laura, I need this right now."

"... Alright. Fine!"

Carmilla thanks her and eventually her tears come to an end. She almost feels the lonely burden lighten, but that also could be that Laura has pushed it out with the mass of her soul. Carmilla falls into the bed. She closes her eyes and turns on her side. Facing the wall. Almost a hint of a smile on her face when she sleeps. Her mind powers down and that makes Laura power down.

The next morning she is awoken by the light of the room. She wished it was a dream but things like her are the reason people dream so she can't in this state. Carmilla sits up and sits criss crossed. The light sun shines through the window. Another perfect Fall day. Carmilla didn't realize it at first but then she slowly remembers there's more than one person in her. She thinks out softly.

"Hey Laura."

"Hi Carmilla. You want to know what I don't get?"

"Yeah tell me."

"I would've never pinned you for a crier. You're so rough and badass on the outside yet you seem weak on the inside."

Carmilla nods at herself. She was still in her clothes from the other day. "You wouldn't pin a lot of stuff on me Laura."

Carmilla rises and stretches out and her back cracks multiple times. The silence is cut by the door coming open. A doctor, masked and annoyance in his eyes. She starts to walk out and he stops her before she leaves.

"Carmilla. This is different of you. Your eyes are usually puffy and you trudge out."

"Doctor, maybe I'm finally trying to get better. I'm done crying over something I can't change. Once I can leave this place for good is when I will finally be free. One day you will feel guilt for locking away a girl who had no real reason to be in there. Now I will be late again if you don't let me go"

He gives in and walks out the hospital. She catches the cable car back to her street. She rushes into her house and quickly changed. She stands in front of her broken mirror butt naked. She laughs when she feels her mind cringe. She steps away and puts on a long sweater and some jeans. Her boots back on and grabs her school bag.

"Oy. You may be in my mind. But that doesn't mean you can peek"She thought to Laura.

"It wasn't my fault!"

"I'm only kidding cupcake."

Laura would smile at the pet name but she can't control Carmilla's muscles to do so. They walk to the school and Laura realizes she doesn't live too far from her own home. She wants Carmilla to tell her dad that she's ok but Carmilla declines.

"Remember this is your payment not mine. So we'll continue to the school."

Laura is upset at that but thinks that this would be crazy to him anyway. The school comes into view and Danny paces outside the main entrance. When Carmilla walks past her voice box readies like she is preparing to say something.

"Hey broadzilla." She laughs.

Before she knew it, she was being dangled over the outside staircase by Danny.

"I'm not in the mood to be called names today, sociopath."

She cracks a smile which makes Laura want to lash out at her but she is so enamoured by the scene that she has fallen silent.

"Why? Afraid your little girlfriend is going to die? Did you cry all night when you found out the news? "

She spoke without realizing what she said. Because Laura was part of her mind she had access to a few things that were in Laura's memories. She bit her lip when she said that. Danny's grip loosens her grip. She looks at her face and it's lost all sense of intimidation. It's a scared puppy dog.

"How. How did you know all that?"

"Gingersnap, it's pretty obvious the glances you have at each other and also umm. Laura is in my..." She wants to say that she's in her mind but know she can't. "She's in my mum's hospital so I have access to records there. Now can you let go of me before you lose your hall monitor position."

She lets her go and Carmilla walks into her class. Danny resides in the nurse's office because she has been crying all night. She wanted her to be ok and curled in her arms. To see that adorable smile one more time. She can't let her last view of her be when she is lowered into the ground. Her face matches her hair. She breaths and shudders out. It's second period by the time she settled herself. Lafontaine was helping in the office that day because they were interested in the field. Danny never realized they were there. Lafontaine pulls out her phone and text Perry. Her best friend since they were babies.

"The red headed giant has finally fallen."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why does Carmilla have this hatred towards her mother? Shouldn't someone who nurtures you be your savior? And not your enemy.

Carmilla sat in homeroom with Laura in her head. Literally. She sat back with her foot up. Students file in and a phone is passed around with a video loaded on it. The two watch it simultaneously. It was Laura while she was wheeled into the ambulance. Carmilla wanted to gawk and start making a scene how rude that was, but she has abandoned all those feelings of being in the middle of the circle a long time ago. She continues to watch and the audio starts picking up a low voice. One she is pretty familiar with. 

"Would you get a load of this? The nerd has probably taken her last breath." 

The voice chuckles and Laura can feel the top of Carmilla's ears burn. Laura searched her mind to figure out Carmilla's rage. When she found it she drew back slightly. Her brother... Will. She didn't have a problem with the video. She knew the truth and didn't take the offense to heart. If it was her own in the first place. 

"Carm... I mean Carmilla. It's fine. People will have their opinions."

Carmilla accidentally started speaking out loud forgetting she was only in her head. "Laura! It's not that... Not just that."

People look to her and she stands cocking an attitude to all of them. She passes the phone up and before she can make a rude remark for their stares, Dr. Cochrane walls in and she takes her seat again. 

He starts listing the names for role call. "Elizabeth? 

"Oy." The blonde in front of Laura's seat says.

"Laura?"

Nobody speaks and he calls her name again. It's like from the movie. 'Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?' When he ask for a third time Carmilla stands. She is surprised with her own actions but makes it look like it's on purpose.

"Err, she won't be in class for the rest of the week..."

"Oh ok Miss. Karnstein."

She takes her seat again and people give her more stares. She tries to shake them off but because a mumbling idiot is in her mind she can't let them go. She looks back down to her paper. Today is just a breather activity to fill the time between deadlines. Repetitive poems. Pretty much just having the same beginning for each line in a stanza. Even the whole poem at times. Carmilla holds her pencil tight and starts writing the first thing that came to mind. Laura watched. Some lines Laura almost felt bad for this "Jenny."

_JENNY_

_Jenny can see them. Others can't_

_Jenny can feel them. Others can't_

_Jenny can connect with them. Others can't_

_Jenny can protect herself from them. Others can't_

_Jenny can cry for them. Others can't_

_Jenny can smile for them. Others can't_

 

_What can others do?_

 

_Others can mock Jenny_

_Others can judge Jenny_

_Others can hurt Jenny_

_Others can hurt Jenny's friends_

_Others can hurt Jenny's foes_

_Others can make Jenny cry_

 

_What can Jenny and Others do?_

 

_Jenny and Others can talk_

_Jenny and Others can share_

_Jenny and Others can accept_

_Jenny and Others can be happy_

_Jenny and Others can relate_

_Jenny and Others can have feelings_

 

_What can neither of them do?_

 

 _Neith_ _er of them can understand one another_

_Neither of them can see what the other sees_

_Neither of them can express it through speech_

_Neither of them can show what they do_

_Neither of them can hide what they do_

_Neither of them can be the same_

_What are the Others?_

_Ignorant_

 

_What is Jenny?_

_Schizophrenic_

 

"Oh Carmilla..." Laura said to her.

She stayed quiet in her mind as she re-reads the words over and over again. She feels her hands crinkle the edges of the paper. Laura feel her teeth clench.

"Carmilla!" The voice in her head was stern. "You know what I'm going to do?"

Her internal sound was weak. "What?"

"I'm going to get you out. Out of the place where you can't call home. No one should have to go through that even if you are the punk ass kid in the back of the room."

She almost laughs at that and goes back into reality. She didn't realize at least a half hour passed and people who finished started presenting their poems. The star of the football team, Kirsch, started to speak.

"I swear I don't understand how this kid gets into these classes." Carmilla laughed to Laura.

"Believe me, I don't know either."

Kirsch started his poem, "Dannyo oh Dannyo Where art tho Dannyo."

"Alright Kirsch you can sit down now!" The teacher speaks up. 

His entire group burst out laughing and Carmilla imagines a picture so Laura could see it. It was her getting the reddest cheeks ever. Carmilla laughs out when she feels  her fall farther back in her mind. 

"Looks like you're not the only one having a crush on the fire hydrant."

"Shut up! That's not funny!"

"Oh but yes it is." She says as she stands and grabs a pass to the bathroom.

She walks out but passes the bathrooms and goes to the stairwell. She takes the exit on the ground floor and takes off towards the sidewalk. There's no real reason she needs to be there. She wants excitement. Wants something to do and now she has someone to "talk" to. She can get just that. She heads to the hospital and waits outside a little nervous to go in.

"Carmilla? We don't have to. Don't you think we need a plan or something?"

She shused her and stepped in. The smell of disinfectant is overwhelming. Since it is a hospital there are people in the lobby. Not many children or teens because it's mid week. I head to the front desk. A medium sized woman sits at the desk and looks over her computer. Carmilla loosens the tension in her shoulders and tries to put a forced smile on.

"Yes, I know Laura Hollis is here. She's in a coma right?"

She searches through her files and nods."And why does that apply to you?"

"If you could just give me a few minutes with her?"

She rolls her eyes and pays more attention to the screen than to Carmilla. "I'm sorry visiting hours are this after noon."

Carmilla forces fake tears out and leans heavily on he counter. "Please. Just a few minuets. I'm. I'mmmm... I'm not ready to see her go."

Laura thinks to her but she doubts she heard her. The woman seems to click and start to empathize her. She points down the hall. Before she even said where it was Carmilla was heading down the hall. She knew they had name tags on the outside of the doors. She has an evil grin on when the hall doors close behind her. She sprints past the room, not even giving it a second look. She wipes the fake tears and makes it to a stairwell. She has this stone in her that holds her back from any opportunity. She wants to see herself succeed, but she has been in the clutches of her mother's system. She put her here. It's illegal. There is no where in anything saying you can throw a child into a mental hospital if they have no disorder. She'd be damned if being homosexual was a disorder. In her mind she is no monster. The only monster is the one that has controlled her ever since she got here. The one that has formed inside her making her believe that she was the devil herself. The only devil was her mother. She hated her with a passion that burns hotter than the sun. She never asked for any of this. Who she loves doesn't define her, but her mother couldn't see that." She climbs the stairs at a fast pace. Until she reaches the top floor. The door has a key pad, a finger scan, and a key lock. She can get the lock and probably the key pad but the finger scan she doesn't know.

"Hey can you slow down for a second!" Laura shouts at her.

"No I can't, Laura!" 

"Carm," She doesn't catch herself, "you expect to be able to change her mind just by taking with her. I know that you know better."

She can feel her mind weighted but she has no intentions of just talking. She pulls two bobby pins from her pocket and unlock the door quickly. Like she knew what she was doing. She thinks carefully and looks closely at the key pad. There are four numbers that, just slightly, are more pushed in then others. '1698'. That makes Laura's spirit shake. She was the one on xbox and the one she wanted to get to know. How could her foe become her life support? She pushes the key and a ring echos through the passage. Before she even starts on the finger scan the metal door opens up to a spacious pent house office. A long clear desk with files and binders over it ordered nicely. The large 360 window over looks the entire city. A woman with long black hair that is greying around the edge. 

Carmilla's voice is low and her eyes widen, but then return to an envy. "Mother."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla and her mother. Makes the ends of the ropes unwind. There are no more loose ends. Now it's just loose everything.

"Hello Carmilla. It's about time you joined me." Her voice is of only power and authority. 

She walks away and her dark blue heels click against the wooden floor. She sits with her back to the city in a wheeled chair. She sits still in it and crosses her slender legs. Her face is so pointed and not a flaw in it. Like she perfected the art of intimidation. Carmilla is reluctant to sit in the chair across from her but after the slow walk to it she sits. Her back is as straight as a board and she sits uneasy. She bites her lip and looks away. Her breath shudders and Laura can feel she has pure fear of her. Maybe she rushed her into something that she never wanted to do. She is the cause of this. This punk kid who looks like she sin't even afraid of death, clutches the chair with her fingers for dear life. 

"Carmilla. Look at me!" Her voice booms in the open room. 

The sun is strong now and it comes over the building and shines in Carmilla's eyes. It burns but she stares directly at her mother.

"Mother, I'm here because I want-"

"Want? What makes you so special that you can get what you want whenever?"

"Can you let me speak for once?!" 

"Don't raise your voice at me!" She stands and puts her hands on the desk. Her slender figure is exemplified with the tight black dress she wears. 

Carmilla was next to stand. Laura fears what is to come between them. She watches the two exchange brutal stares. 

"Mother, I want to be free of this. I may be gay but that doesn't mean you have the right to lock me away in this god forsaken place!"

She walks away and grabs a glass. She pours a drink and sips gingerly. Carmilla goes after her quickly and takes the glass out of her hand. She smashes the glass to the ground. Sending shards in every direction. The smell of the alcohol is overwhelming The drink lies on the floor and Carmilla is fuming. Her mother take her hair and pulls her. She yanks at her and throws her in the opposite direction. She screams but doesn't cry. Instead she smiles and starts giving a menacing deep laugh. Her mother hits her across the face. Her lip is open and bleeds. She wipes it with the back of her hand. 

"The only reason you hate me is because..."

"Don't you dare say it!" She screams at her and kicks her in the stomach. 

Carmilla staggers backwards but stands her ground. She spits it at her. Blood coming from her lips. The scent of evil in the air. Her mother heaves her breaths and rasping.

"The reason you hate me is because Dad left you for another man." Her laugh is nightmare filled and creeps around the rooms.

Her mother was sent over the edge and threw herself over her daughter and threw punches at her. Carmilla blocked the most she could. The dress rips around the shoulders and legs. More punches, more hits. The anger radiating off very pore between the two of them. Years on years of tensions finally exploded into the open. Causing casualities to more than one person. Each one of them were hurting. Someone comes in and that's when it breaks up. Both were a bloody mess. In the mouth and cheeks. Her mother probably has a broken nose. The man with a strong jaw bone and a business suit on holds back her mother. 

"Cynthia!" He shouts as she struggles to get free. 

Carmilla backs up still on the ground. She is crying because she just wanted a simple life. A life where she could be who she is without conflict. A strong connection to her mother that she never got. When she was a child no one would pick her up from the playground. She'd see all the other parents come for days in school. She saw the crowd cheer for everyone at their middle school graduation. No one she recognized cheered for her. No one to help her when she couldn't take regular life anymore. She'd see other girls run to their Mommies for temporary problems. Hr mother was the whole problem. She'd be strong to overcompensate for the void in her life. The second she let someone in is when she got hurt. So she just numbed that part of her. Along with that came no more pain, but there was never enough pain to numb the loss that she has in her life. 

"I never want to see your face here again!" Her mother screams at her.

Carmilla pulls herself up and goes to the elevator. She trudges as the doors open. Once inside she turns to see her mother. Carmilla's face plastered with tears. She feels the words going down and it burns like alcohol on her throat. They echo through her before she finally says it.

"Gladly."

The doors close and the elevator pings as the floors go down. She drops and collapses into herself. The pain finally hitting her. Not just physical pain anymore. The doors open to the ground floor. She crawls across the ground until she reaches the room that says Laura Hollis. She uses the handle to pull herself up. She stumbles in and nearly falls again. She sits in a chair under the clock. A man sits there. Lumberjack flannel on. Laura can only know it's her dad sitting over lifeless body. He doesn't have tears but only a sad face. There are flowers and balloons and get well cards. He stands and looks at Carmilla.

"I think this is your stop, sun dance. From Train A La Karnstein." Carmilla thinks.

"I can't go now. I'm not ready. You need help!"

"Laura, please listen to me. You're ready. I can feel it. You're more than just a thought. You're not just a voice extra in my head. Because of you I obtained your bravery. I absorbed your confidence. I took hold of your determination. I became smarter. Laura you've helped me in more ways then one. I could've never done this without you. Never would I have done that to my mother if you weren't here. You may not have said anything but, that doesn't mean you were useless. I never understood the whole concept of living spirits. I think I'm learning. I can only thank you and now it's time for you to join this side again."

"Please!" She can already feel herself slipping into her own body. 

She finally felt like she was needed in someone else's life. It's weird that she was so determined to get back in her body and now she is trying to hold onto Carmilla's. Carmilla smiles at her father knowing that she is about to wake up from his terror. Laura slips away from her fully. She is in the darkness again. Carmilla's mind is lighter. He eyes look to open space. Laura starts to feel the tension of her own muscles. The feeling of the sheets with her hands. She uses all her energy to her eye lids. Light floods her vision until she can keep them open. Laura's dad turns around and just starts tearing up. He drops by her side and holds the railing on the edge of the bed. His little girl has returned after all odds were against her. Laura's eyes open all the way and there is a red button in her hand. She presses it and her life springs into action. It sends a buzzer to the desk and doctors rush in. Through the crowd of people she sees Carmilla watch closely. Her lazy eyes widen when she remembers all that happened. Like a life time in repeat. 

 

It took nearly an hour to get Laura situated with her environment. Once the doctors and nurses left her Dad went to her and hugged her awkwardly. Her stomach was not all too painful but there was something that felt odd. She tried not to pay attention to it. Laura feels exhausted even though her body has been sitting dormant for two days. Her mind is fatigued. From all the events she has seen. She stays quiet about her experience thinking maybe it was this elaborate dream. When her father moves slightly a dark haired girl sleeps with her head down in the chair. She saw the bruise on her eye through her hair. It was no dream. Hollis shakes her awak and she rises slowly. In Laura's singular mind everything happens in slow motion. Carmilla is hurt. She is in pain. Yet she rises with such grace that seems to make all the pain seem minimal. It stunned Laura honestly. She tries to speak but her mouth is weak. 

"I know, Laura. Welcome back. I'll be ok I promise. Just rest. You'll see me again. You know I'll have a little lightness in my step. Maybe like a little weight is out. Bye Laura."

She leaves and closes the door. Her father makes a face but doesn't let it bother his smile. All he cares is that the only one in his life is alive and recovering. The storm is brewing inside her, but since there's nothing they can do. They can only let it brew. Praying it'll pass over as quick as a summer shower. People take being alive for granted. They don't realize howmuch it affects you until you are in the fingertips of the Reaper. The coldest souls can become puppies if they see someone close get hurt. She'll be on her feet tomorrow, but the outcome of her walking successfully are slim. It will take time. baby steps. Little victories. 

Laura is just trying to catch up on life. Taking everything into thought and filing them. There's more to Carmilla than most thought. She saw it herself. Through her actual eyes. Seeing the brute of her life. She may think she is free from her mother. There is something holding her here. Laura can't put a finger on it. She could've easily ran from her the times she got out of that cell. If it was fear that held her to Silas or some other force Laura will find it. Laura has seen too much to just throw it away and continue on with life.  _It's totally the journalist in you Laura. You don't know what you're getting yourself into._ But, yes she does. She knows exactly where to go from this. Finally lift that chain and collar from Carmilla's neck. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura is done with hospitals. She's seen more of it half dead than she has alive...

Laura wakes the next morning to an empty room. All this time and she started missing Danny. They just started getting together but she still missed the company. As she thought that she was gifted with the door opening slowly. In walked a fire-headed broad. The second she saw Laura's face she just jumped at her. Smothering her tiny mass with hers. 

"Laura. Oh my god. I thought you were dead. I saw the video and didn't want to believe it, but you're stronger than most think."

She smiles through tears and Laura just looks at her. She doesn't know how to responded to her honestly. She has seen others cry for her but now she is just too stunned emotionally to cry. She holds her weakly in her arms. Danny takes the opportunity to close the space between their lips. A big hand grazed her cheek and Danny could feel the heat on her cheeks. She kissed her harder and more passionately. Letting her emotions drive her tongue. She lowered the bar on the edge of the bed and laid down next to Laura. The tiny blonde had to bite her lips to not let the non-human escape her mouth. As they lay there, their stares don't break and Danny brushes a piece of Laura's hair. Putting her finger over gently. Her hand continues to trace Laura's features. Her hand sliding down to her waist. Laura lowers her eyes and puts her fingers through Danny's. Why did it feel so awkward. She was comfortable with her before. Was. Danny realizes a weird look on her face.

"Hey L. What's going on?"

"Nothing just tired."

"Ok? I'm in no mood to argue so I guess I have to trust you on that."

Laura nods and cuddles herself instead of Danny. She may have really liked her, but now it's feeling rushed. Not the picture perfect relationship she expected. Danny puts her hand over the other girl's and dozes off slightly. Let's just say it was a 'sick day' and had to miss school. 

A couple hours or so later a physical therepist walks in and introduces himself as Dr. Horsely.

"Now this will be a slow process. We don't want to rupture anything on accident. Your stomach is thin to begin with and because you have this possible tumor we don't want the acid to break out."

He lifts her legs off the bed.It's like learning to walk again. Everyone babying Laura. She could do everything herself, but no one saw that in her. She wasjust the girl who just survived a near-death experience. _She can't move on her own. She can't live out of the eyes of the hospital. She's going to have medical debt._ She didn't want any that anymore. The man used his arm to support her as she stood. Danny sat back and watched her. The second she stod she wanted to sit back down, but wanted to prove everyone wrong. She let go of his arm and took off the wrires and tubes. She stared directly at the doctor and said,

"I'm done here. Thank you for your services, but now it's time for Hollis baby, to go home." Her voice having a little envy in it. She finds small shoes at the bed frame and slowly puts them on. She didn't want to stay in a hospital anymore. She couldn't stand the whole aspect of it. It's like in her blood. Her legs are weak but she pushes onward out the door. The miracle child she is. Showing off all odds. Danny comes behind her and tries stopping her.

"Lawrence. Drive me home. Please." Her voice sounding deperate. 

She nods knowing she would be walking home if she had no other options. She tries helping her but Laura shoves her off and grits her teeth. She wanted to be home. Wanted to see the frame of her mother. Wanted her father's smell on her. Wanted the comfort of her own bed. She just wanted to contol something again. She gets in Danny's convertable. Of course she would have a high class sports car. She drives and it's quiet. Laura leans back and breaths. Danny puts one hand on hers. She feels Laura flinch under hers and she reels back. Danny doesn't bring it up but it's weighing her down. 

"Laura... Is there something else up? You seem like you're trying to get to someone or reach something. Is there something thats giving you this unknown strength?"

Laura almost laughs. "Strength? I'd hardly call it strength."

"You've been out almost three days and you can just walk and wake up... Just like that. You don't call that strength?"

Laura doesn't answer. She doesn't want to tell her about Carmilla. Or about the experience at all. She still doesn't know if it was real but it's all too real. She stays quiet. Why couldn't have just been like a big nap? Why did she have to go through that? Now she has a connection with Carmilla and knows something no one else does. She just wanted a simple year, but that can never happen can it?

Danny finally drops Laura off. Laura pulls her into one last kiss. Pulling back just to look at Danny's beautiful sea blue eyes. She nods and gets out fully. Her dad would probably be at his work or at the construction site. Either way it gave her a chance to breath. She finds the key to the door in a brick. Three down from the beam and two over. She slides in and locks the door behind her. She goes to her room immediantly and falls onto her bed. Feeing relish in comfy familiar bed. She looks up at the ceiling but before she dozes off there's a clatter next to her window. Being on the second floor it was confusing. She moves the curtain from the window and sees a hand pulling on the frame. She almost shrieks but then a face comes above the sill. 

"Should I of just knocked?" Carmilla says half laughing. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I'm so sorry for not posting like at all. I didn't realize how demanding my courses would be. So when I can I will post but I'll try to make them a lot longer and I'm getting back on track with the high school aspect that this said XD alright later guys.   
> (FYI. It would help if you comment what you'd like. Just a tip. Or comment what you want to see less of)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura has an untimely visitor.

Laura was already half asleep but she widen her eyes when she saw Carmilla's bruised face. Aftermath of the last couple days. She opens the window and the cool fall air rushes into her warm room. 

"Carmilla! What do you think you're doing?!" Laura's voice cracking at the edges from exausustion. 

Carmilla hops into her room. Arrogant but still having a sense of sarcasm. She stands a bit taller than her but grows even taller when Laura sits. She looks at Carmilla. Even though she's been through so mugh she still can hold her own. Laura couldn't imagine hating her mother. Or her mother hating her. Then again, she'd at least like to know who she was. Carmilla always had the latter. 

"So this is how the privileged live eh?"

"You think you can come in here and start bagging on my life style? Who do you think you are? I could just as easy call The cops now."

Carmilla pays no attention to her threat and starts looking at her dresser. Her voice is a sarcastic somber response. 

"Yeah cupcake, sure you would. You wouldn't dare call them on me and you know it. You're a child with. Morals. Meh. if you did call though, do you not think I can just as easily run and hide?"

Laura looks down and her hands and twirled hair between her fingers. Carmilla laughs and looks at the smal chips in the dresser Edge. 

"Laura? What are these? Don't tell me some little English prodigy is kinky behind closed doors." 

Laura gets up and gets a head rush when trying to go to Carmilla. She turns quickly not realizing she was falling and it happened she was in her arms. Carmilla looks at her weird and stands her up. Laura tries to wince back the pain. 

"Slow Down there tiger. I'll keep your little secret."

"I'm not kinky! I've never been like that!"

"ok ok. Ill come back in two years and see if it's the same answer." She is laughing at her own joke for making fun of the little blonde  

"Why are you here? Don't you have some like puppies to kill or something?" Her voice only half joking. 

"Well, this coma has gone to your head hasn't it? Sorry, bad joke. No but anyway. I have no where else to go. My mom will kill me if I go home during the day. The few friends I have are in school or away. So I ended up here."

Laura gives up trying to get Carmilla out. She goes back to her bed and her hands rub her face. Behind them she starts to speak. 

"If you wanted to know each notch is when I start thinking about someone I shouldn't. Someone I don't deserve to think about anymore..." She breaths out. 

Carmilla looks at her and cocks an eyebrow. She just shoved it off and sat in a chair. 

"Carmilla. Why do people suffer?"

"well that's a loaded question." She spoke kinder like she was actually thinking about the answer. "Why does anyone have to struggle more than others? Why do bad things happen to good people? Maybe it was destined but I guess we'll never know the answer to anything. Maybe it was so others can learn to eventually end it in the future."

Laura peers out at Carmilla's face. Her face quickly shakes like she's shaking the emotion right out of the pores. 

"Never mind. You got any food I'm starving. You'd think psych food would be better than prison  But no... Don't help out the special." she's laughing even though Laura didn't see why it was funny. Two different Word. Two very different worlds.

Carmilla descedes Laura's steps and goes to the kitchen. Her dad would probably be home soon. When he heard that Laura practically escaped the hospital. Laura got bored upstairs quickly. Then slowly made her way to the kitchen. 

"Carmilla, I can't just be your sanctuary."

She cuts her offbefire she could go any further. 

"I know. This is just a tent. I'm a nomad, I just move where the wind blows me. Completely self sufficien." 

Laura looks at her but before anything could get any farther the door is smashed open by her father. He sees her and is relivied but then sees Carmilla and questions. 

"Laura? What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I know dad..." She picks herself up and trudges up the stairs. 

When laura is out of ear shot her dad speaks to Carmilla. 

"You were there. When she woke up you had just came barreling into the room. Now you're here. This family is big on miracles and supernatural forces. Who are you?"

Carmilla grabs the bagel thy was on the table and starts towards the door.

"I am death. I am life. I am sadness. I am happiness. I am anger. I am joy. Mr. Hollis. I should be asking myself the same question..." 

She leaves the house and closes the door behind her. He looks at the outline of the girl that used to stand there. He thinks less of it now. He goes to the Fourier and looks above the fire place. A photograph of Lauras mother. She was literally everywhere Laura looked in the house. Laura's idea. Probably because she wanted her in her life still. What she wouldn't give to see her in skin and bones. 

"Sometines I wish it had been me that went. You'd do better with Laura Baby. I wish you could be here. I know Laura does too. I'm sorry that I can't do better." He talks to picture. Blonde hair. Pure complexion. Beautiful brown eyes. There's a small voice that comes from his left.

"Dad. You're doing fine. I couldn't ask for a better father. Mom would be just the same if you were gone. You let me grow into my own person.... I know what happened to mom... I know that I may be the same..."

He looks at her and pulls in his lips. "Oh Laura " he breaths. "I should've told you sooner. I know aye means a lot to you."

"You were just trying to protect me. Make me not think of the worst and inheriting diseases. How could I be mad at someone trying to protect me?"

He brings her into a soft hug. "Oh Laura. It's that journalism spirit. Diseases aren't the only thing carried down." He smiles on the top of her head. "Cmon. You should go to bed. I'm guessing you'll want to be in class to get next to your new girlfriend."

He teased her and she took the bait. "Dad!"

He laughs and sends her off. She goes to her room, but knew that was part of the reason she wanted to go back so soon. 

As she laid there her phone pinged twice  Two text messages. 

-Danny: Hey Laur. You doing ok?

-Carmilla: Expect me around two AM so don't flip shit if you hear the window rustle. 

Laura looked at both of them but inevitablly threw her phone to the other side of the room. Her body ached and she just didn't have the brain space to deal with children leeching themselves to her. Through she was shorter than both and by many. The phone pinged again but Laura only groaned out. 

"Ugh go to hell!"

She covers her face with the pillow and ends up falling asleep like that. Ready to die quickly if a killer was here to murder her. She didn't just need the pillow to know that a killer was after her. It was called the inevitable and the only thing holding it back was time. When it finds the right time it will attack her from the stomach up. 


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are the marks on her dresser? What did Danny send her on Snapchat? And is that Laura caring for Carmilla?

Carmilla wasn't lying. The late evening, well, morning, Carmilla snuck her way into Laura's room. Laura was dreaming of her mother again. She was partially awake, yet still asleep. She started screaming and ripping her sheets off like they were suffocating her. She was trying to get away from it. She got up and started stumbling from wall to wall. Carmilla grabbed onto her arms and shook her from her nightmare. 

"Laura! Laura! Wake up! You're dreaming."

Laura finally opened her eyes fully and looked at the dark figure.

"Carmilla?"

She doesn't answer and lets go of Laura. Making sure she couldn't see the worry in her face. Turning away in the darkness.  Because of that makes Laura barowling to the floor in a heap of tears. She finally picks herself up and goes to her bed. Leaning over the edge and clasping her head. Carmilla looks at her weirdly, but then suddenly Laura gets up to her dresser. From the top drawer she pulls a black handle and the metal scintillates off the moonlight. She raises the knife with both hands and another notch joins the rest. Each notch was her mother. The only thing she has to hold on to. She puts the knife back in the drawer and goes to the bed. Meanwhile, Carmilla was standing and watching. Like a ghost who found a way to live again. They can't believe it that they stand still. Laura curls into the bed as the time flicks 2:00 AM. The room is illuminated by the notification on Laura's phone. The first to react is Carmilla who bolts to the phone across the floor. 

"Hey Hey! That's mine!" She says in a hushed whisper.

Carmilla laughs while she holds the phone above Laura's head. Even though shes only about two inches taller, the phone is still out of reach.

"Mmm. Let's see here. Oh" She perks up. Laura is still struggling against Carmilla's arm. "Danny- Hey I'm bored Check your snapchat. Is little Innocent Laura getting nasty with the fire-bird?"

"I hate you." 

"The words of many, young rascal."

She opens her phone because Laura is lazy and doesn't have a password on her phone. She finds the yellow icon that has snapchat under it. There is one photo message from Danny. 

"Well should I be afraid?"

She doesn't let her answer and opens the message. She was so ready to shove it in Laura's face that she really is kinky as hell, but it was only Bromeo passed out, probably drunk, on Danny's floor.  _Seriously? It's was Monday night. This is what you send your high school girlfriend? Gee standards have gotten low._

"Carmilla. If you're just going to barrage my phone with your prying eyes, can you at least turn off the brightness?" She groans as Carmilla looks deeper and deeper into her phone.

Carmilla gives back her phone and looks at her as her eyes adjust to the darkness. "You're never going to love her are you?"

Laura just covers her face with the sheets and turns her back to her. She gives a slight laugh at the blonde for non-verbally agreeing with her statement. She falls asleep in Laura's chair and has a dream of her own. But, Hell, she won't remember it in the morning. 

~~~

Laura's alarm rings out and she wakes groggy. She looks over and Carmilla is spread out over the chair. Dried drool on the edge of her mouth. Laura secretly takes a photo of her.  _Make m_ _emories right?_ Laura grabs a small jacket and a pair of pants and escapes out to the bathroom and changes. She returns to Carmilla finally awake and she is up.

"Morning..." Laura says as she folds her sweatshirt and sweat pants. 

Carmilla grunts as a response. Laura rushes around and falls once. carmilla only watches. 

"So what exactly is your purpouse in this life? I mean I swear you've gotten more done with me in your body than your own self."

This makes Carmilla angered. She goes to Laura with a rough expresion. Taking the hem of Laura's shirt in her fist and lifting her off the ground with muscles that aren't seen. 

"Listen here you nitwit. I will find it, and when I do I will be right here picking your bones off the ground, you hear me?"

She says it monotone, mocking Carmilla, "like a fog horn."

She lets her go and she falls again. Her dad shouts up to tell her to get ready. She grabs a bag and make sure she's acceptable to society. She runs out the door without giving Carmilla a second thought. She couldn't out run her for long until she easily caught up behind her. Laura was out of breath quickly and submitted to walking. 

"Why are you even still here? I thought school doesn't matter to you."

"Oh Laura you don't understand what I find interesting do you know?"

She just shakes her head and looks at the raven haired girl. 

"You think I want to miss out you coming back today. You've been out since Wednesday. There's got to be some type of scene. I think the best rumor I heard is that you're a spy for Russia and they Found out you weren't loyal, so now there's an inside man who poisoned your food. But you know, just a rumor."

Carmilla laughs hard as the sun breaches over the trees. Laura's jaw dropped and was still on the ground ten paces back. 

"How is that entertaining to you!?"

"You'd be surprised the cases that walk through metal doors in straight jackets. I've developed a sick sense of humor. What can I say, I'm screwed up more than I was when I got in there." 

She laughs more as they turn onto Silas Road where the school was. This made Laura chuckle slightly because it's Silas High School In Silas, Austria on Silas Road. Just the redundancy could make any writer earn a laugh. The big bricked building comes into view and students of all ages are filing into the doors. The first to spot Laura is Danny, who rushes over to her and hugs her right out of the blue. Because of that causes more people to go over to her. Carmilla grabs her arm and pulls her close. Close enough for Laura to feel her thick hot breath on her ear. 

"See you later, pop star."

Then she disappeared into the crowd like a puff of smoke blown away by the wind. Many people came over and asked about what happened. Some thought she'd be dead but in fact she's lived more than ever. The living spirit that isn't even real. Danny pulls her away from the crowd thinking she didn't want any more questions. 

"Danny, I think I can walk fine."

"I know but you seem like you don't want to be around that many people."

Laura shakes Danny free, "I don't need you to make my decision. But, thanks though."

Danny looks at her with an eyebrow raised. Her hair has a deep undulation that the lights bends around to make the fruity hue more vibrant. Danny takes her around the shoulder and walks her to her first class. 

"What about your hall job?"

"yeah well... you have to actually show up everyday to keep it."

Laura halts in the middle of the hall. "Wait, that means you've been missing mornings, for what? For me? That's ridiculous." 

Danny doesn't respond. Not right away at first. Every morning she'd end up missing half of home room because she'd cry for Laura who wouldn't be there again. She didn't want to admit that but Laura is smarter than her blonde hair makes her. 

"Well. I mean it's only a small job right."

Luara had no reason to argue this early in the morning. She kissed her cheek, well made an attempt. Because of her height, she nipped her chin. The red head smiled slightly and bent down so she could feel the thin lips on the center of her cheek. 

"Later Hollis."

The two part ways and Laura looks at her only a moment longer before going into the classroom. Same as any day, knuckle heads towering over others as they sit ontop of desk. The few that sit in the back reading whatever book they pulled out that day. The valedictorians in the making, their entire attention on every fine detail. Then there was her, that felt like the only pawn on the board. Carmilla sits in the back, relaxed, foot up on the desk, chair arched back to match her laid back position. Laura takes her seat up a seat and diagonal across. Her attitude hasn't changed like Laura was just like all the rest. Like they didn't have anything happen between the two of them. Eventhough this is exactly like her, it still made Laura look down at her desk. An animal never changes their ways for one person, even the human species.  _But why would I want her to change for me...?_


End file.
